Waves of Mercy
by buckwolvhoosier
Summary: Nadlyn is an orphan and lives with her abusive, rich uncle in Carvahall. She is constantly depressed and harms herself by cutting. After she is saved from trying to kill herself, her entire life begins to change. This story is quite inspirational.
1. Chapter 1

Waves of Mercy: Chapter One

Nadlyn sat quietly in the carriage as it rolled down the muddy path into the small village of Carvahall. She was moving from the city of Uru'baen to live with her Uncle Zador who is a tax collector for King Galbatorix. Her parents died when she was just a baby in a fire. The only thing she has from her parents is a necklace that belonged to her mother, Solana.

Living with her Uncle was horrible; she hated every minute of her life and wished that all her pain would just go away. Zador was a chronic drunk and quick to anger. On a regular basis she is beaten and degraded, so she lives in constant fear. As a tax collector, her uncle is paid heavily in gold, so they have always lived in splendor. They lived in large houses, all her dresses were made from the finest threads and lace, they had servants, and they always had plenty of food, meat in particular. In those days meat was considered a delicacy.

The carriage stopped in front of a vast white mansion. It was built specifically for them by the King. Unfortunately, her Uncle was a favorite of the King, so he was always given such remarkable gifts. In return, he performed his duties admirably, which in their world meant with treachery. Zador was never nice to anyone, except the King. His greed for gold is what led him to his current position.

A servant opened the door. All around the carriage the villagers stood gawking. No one looked pleased to see them, but none dared to utter a word. Zador stepped out first, his cape bellowing behind him. He looked at the people and said, "Greetings citizens of Carvahall. I expect that you will welcome us into your little village with kindness. The King sent me here to make sure you pay your taxes, but that does not mean we have to start a quarrel. You do you duty, and nothing will go amiss." He smiled his cruel grin.

The servant held out his hand for Nadlyn to take. She obliged and carefully stepped out of the mobile prison. Her uncle looked at her and pointed, "This is my niece, Nadlyn." She curtsied at the crowd as rehearsed. The crowed acknowledged her beauty, the men with their love-struck stares, the women with jealousy.

"Hello," she vocalized, weakly. "I am pleased to be here in Carvahall. It is a charming little village." She stopped talking when her uncle shot her a murderous gaze. He never liked what he calls, "a woman's small talk." Annoyed him beyond compare, and it is his main motivation for not getting married. He said that women were just a hassle and were worthless creatures.

"We will get settled in now. Farewell." He turned and nodded at the servants to bring in the belongings. She followed her uncle inside turning her head only once to see the villagers whispering to one another.

The house was decorated with banners, statues, and various plants. She was led upstairs where her suite was located. The room was white with a large oak bed with a canopy, a dresser with a mirror, a bedside table, a rocking chair, and a screen to change behind. She plopped down on her bed once the servants left and stared at the light pink canopy. _I hate pink. I hate this room. I hate this village. I hate my life._ She sighed and threw off her mud spattered boots and rummaged through her bag for her dagger. She pressed the blade to her rough, scarred wrist and slowly cut into her skin. The crimson blood trickled down her arm. She balanced it so that not a single drop soiled the perfect pink bed sheets. The servants would have reported the blood stain if they saw it to her uncle and that would only cause her to receive another beating.


	2. Chapter 2

Waves of Mercy: Chapter 2

A week had passed and already the people were complaining about Nadlyn's uncle, especially on this day where her uncle made every single villager tell him what their profession was and how many members were in their family. He also wrote down their ages as well as their wages and income, or really, their losses. He had a table set up inside their mansion supplied with plenty of paper, quills, and ink to last the entire day of cataloging the village. Throughout the day, the villagers came in by family. As they entered the mansion, their eyes grew big at the luxury, but as they approached her uncle, they became loath with fear.

Many of the farmers brought samples of their crop to show Zador and to prove to him that they were capable of producing excellent quality fruits and vegetables. The farmers who grew the best crops would be blessed to receive Zador's money as he will buy some of their crops.

Nadlyn was sick of staying inside all day, so she put on her boots, shawl, and bonnet and descended the stairs to the main entrance. In the hall below, she saw an old farmer with two young men that she just assumed were his sons. All three of them briefly glanced at her before paying attention to her uncle. She stood next to her uncle and quietly waited for him to take notice of her. Standing there, she learned that the farmer was named Garrow and the two young men were Roran and Eragon. Her uncle was explaining to Garrow that he will only buy from the best farmers and that his crops were not up to par. Roran's face burned red with rage, while Garrow calmly apologized to Zador for his poor crops, and Eragon just stood there staring off into space as if he had a lot on his mind.

Her uncle scribbled something on his paper and was about to dismiss Garrow when he asked Nadlyn why she was idly standing there. "I wish to go for a walk if that is alright with you." In the background Garrow was telling Roran to keep his cool while Eragon finally snapped out of his reverie to focus on his surroundings.

"Do as you wish." He waved his hand allowing her to be dismissed. She started to walk away when suddenly a sharp pain spread through her arm when her uncle grabbed her to say, "Only be back by dinner this time." Wincing, she nodded. When he let go of her, she rubbed her bruised arm; the previous night she was beaten for being late for dinner.

When she looked up, her eyes met with Eragon's. He looked curiously at her as if he knew that something wasn't right between her and her uncle. She gave him a cold glance and walked out of the house. On the streets, she browsed through many of the shops, the people gawking at her. Very few engaged her in conversation, and the ones that did spoke cautiously and as little as possible. In her exploration, she saw Eragon with his family head into Horst's house. Horst was the village blacksmith, and apparently good friends of Garrow. She longed for such companionship, yet as soon as the thought crossed her mind, she bitterly dismissed it. _Who needs friends? I am better off on my own. All people do is cause pain._

After two hours of walking through the village, she decided to explore the woods. The trees swayed in the autumn wind, the different colored leaves swirling about her feet. It was quite peaceful and even beautiful in her opinion. Squirrels chattered and stored away nuts for the winter while the birds began to fly south. In a few weeks winter would be upon them bringing frigid temperatures and snow. She had never seen a lot of snow, and she was not very ecstatic about seeing a lot of it either; she preferred warmer temperatures.

She walked until she came across the Anora River. At that point she stopped and sat down on a mossy log. The clear, cold water rushed feely on by, and miles later, it would decent a steep waterfall. She suddenly had an urge to take off her boots and step into the water. She yelped as soon as the freezing liquid splashed her toes. Gradually, she seeped her feet into the water. Very quickly, her feet were numb. She continued to sit there until she heard a twig snap. Getting up, she put on her boots stood there alert. Another snap and she hid behind a large oak tree. Peeking out from behind, she saw a lone deer drink from the river. Cursing her foolishness, she walked back towards the village, startling the deer.

Back inside the mansion, she ran up the stairs and into her bedroom where she changed for dinner. She made sure to arrive early, sitting alone in the vast dining room. When her uncle arrived, she was not surprised to see him in a bad temperament. He grumbled about the ungrateful villagers as a servant passed him a wine glass. Dinner was served soon after. Zador looked at the quail on his plate with disgust. "This looks atrocious! William, come here!" he yelled.

Within moments a skinny man with a white apron approached. "Yes sir?"

"This quail does not look cooked all the way. Are you trying to make me sick?" His eyes bored heavily into the meek chef.

"N-n-no sir," he stuttered. "I apologize for my mistake; I will bring it back to the kitchen and cook it further." He was about to take the plate away.

Nadlyn suddenly spoke up, "My quail looks cooked through, you can take my plate if you wish." Her offer was innocent enough, but her uncle took it completely out of context. He turned his attention back to William and scowled.

"How dare you give me an un-cooked meal and serve my ward with perfectly cooked food!" He picked up his plate and threw it against the wall, shattering the plate into tiny pieces. William shook with fear, as did Nadlyn.

"I will return with another dish…"

"Yes, please do." When William left, he addressed his niece. "How dare you speak out of turn! Do you wish to make a fool out of me?" He walked around the table towards her.

"No, uncle, I only wished to give you the best quail. I had no intention to make you look foolish." She helpless stood there as her uncle slapped her across the face.

"Stupid girl! Leave me; you will go to bed hungry tonight for your little uprising." He slapped her again. When she did not respond, he grabbed her by the arms and threw her against the wall. "Why must you be so disobedient after all I have given you?"

"I am sorry." A tear slid down her face.

"Sorry will not allow you dinner tonight. Now be gone!"

She left for her room, the tears steadily falling down her cheeks. Her stomach rebelled in hunger, but she paid it no attention. In her room she took out her dagger and slit her wrists. The blood oozed down her arms, but she didn't care. She was on her floor and allowed the blood to drip from her arms freely onto the wood. She sat there for a good 20 minutes watching the blood crust upon her scarred skin. Finally, she washed her arms and the floor and got ready for bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

One day, Nadlyn and her uncle were out in the village because the traders were in town. They had finally made it after being delayed by a winter snowstorm. Zador was busy criticizing all the merchants he visited trying the patience of many. He had Nadlyn stay close as he wanted to dote upon her as if he really loved her. She just went along with it and browsed through the merchandise at the pavilions they visited. Her uncle even bought her some new jewelry, which surprised her. She accepted the gifts with a forced smile.

As the hours dragged on, she began to get anxious; a few times she wanted to beg her uncle to let her roam around by herself, but held her tongue. At a pottery stand, Zador critiqued harshly on the craftsmanship sending the seller into frenzy. As they discussed methods of improvement, Nadlyn strolled away from the pavilion, but not too far. She sniffed the air, the sweet aroma of roasted almonds made her mouth water. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to succumb to the wonderful scent.

Suddenly, she was knocked to the ground letting out a screech. Out of her reverie, she looked up to see the farm boy, Eragon. He scrambled out his apologies and offered his hand for her to take. Nadlyn refused to take his hand as she got up on her own and wiped the snow off her dress.

"I am sorry, I really should have been watching where I was going." He repeated.

"I'm fine." She grumbled, annoyed. Out of her peripheral vision, she noticed her uncle approaching. _Oh, great. _She rolled her eyes.

Eragon saw her uncle and stood his ground. "Boy, what do you think you are doing? Watch where you are going, you buffoon! Now begone, you filthy peasant!"

Eragon frowned, "It was an accident, no need to be grouchy about it."

"Uncle, it _was_ an accident. Come, let us go get something warm to drink. We have been out in the cold for hours." Nadlyn tried to persuade her uncle away from the boy.

"Keep out of this, Nadlyn, this is between me and him!" He turned his gaze back to Eragon. "Stay away from my niece, you maggot! I have had enough of you and your stupid family."

Anger arose in Eragon at the insult. "Don't you dare talk about my family that way."

Zador scoffed, "Boy, you and your family will never amount to anything. You are lucky that I allow you to continue farming; I can easily destroy your livelihood with a snap of my fingers."

"That is what is wrong with all you rich folk, you think you own the place. Well I got news for you, people like you always get what is coming to them." He spat in the dirt almost hitting Zador's shoe.

Zador immediately raised his hand and was about to strike at Eragon when Nadlyn grabbed her uncle's arm to stop him. "Please, stop." Then she turned to Eragon and said, "Go home and tend to your fields."In awe, Eragon watched Nadlyn depart with her uncle before he left to find his cousin.

Zador stopped and motioned for Nadlyn to approach him closer. When she did, she said quietly, "Stay away from that man, he is trouble." She nodded. "Good. Now go, I can finish my rounds without you. Make sure you are home after the bonfire." Again, she nodded, and then turned to walk away at a brisk pace, happy to get away.

Her first place to visit was the pavilion that was selling the roasted almonds. She ate the package slowly, savoring each bite. As she ate, she just browsed around the different tents. After a while, she headed over to Morn's tavern for a drink. Inside, she noticed all the men and women who turned to look who was entering, and upon seeing her, they rolled their eyes and resumed what they were doing before the interruption. At the counter, she ordered a mug of cider and took a seat in the back of the room away from the crowd gathered at the fireplace.

To her dismay, she saw Eragon enter the bar with his cousin. They joined the other's who were talking about Galbatorix and the strange creatures that were roaming around Alagaesia. She turned her head and hoped that he did not see her. She sipped the last few drops of her cider, put up her hood, and tried to sneak out. During the process, a man had to call out her name causing the entire room to stare at her, including Eragon who looked surprised to her in the bar.

"What are your thoughts on the King? Isn't your Uncle his puppet or something?" The man was obviously very drunk and almost fell off his chair from laughing.

"Whatever." She said and walked outside.

Eragon watched her leave the bar after her brusque reply. The other's laughed about her reaction and one man said, "What a freak. She always looks mad when we ignore her, so when we finally include her into our conversation, she still retains a bitter expression."

A woman laughed and said, "Why does she even bother going into the village? Doesn't she already get everything brought to her pampered chambers?"

The crowd howled with laughter, except Eragon, whose visage only became more severe until he finally yelled at the group. "Shut up, the lot of you, you have no idea what you are talking about! You are acting no better than her Uncle! She is not like him at all, so hold your tongues!"

Stunned, the crowed stared at him with blank expressions. The drunken man eventually broke the silence. "Haha, you are funny boy! Gave me a good start, there. In all seriousness, tell me that you are joking."

"I am not joking around. She isn't like him at all. If you would all open your eyes, you would see that too."

Behind him, Roran said, "Eragon, what has gotten into you?"

Eragon glared at Roran and said, "Of all people, I expected you to stick up for me." He shook his head and left the tavern before another word was spoken.

Nadlyn made her way to the bonfire before it got too crowded, and sat at the back. As people filed in, no one made an attempt to sit by her. Some completely ignored her while some gave her a dirty look before sitting down. She stared at the dancing flames and wondered what it would be like to be burned to death. The idea formed in her head as she visualized herself jumping into the flames and allowing them to consume her pale flesh.

As the gruesome image came to a close and she slipped back to reality, she felt a presence next to her. "What the hell are you doing here? Haven't you seen enough of me today?" She snapped at Eragon who was sitting next to her.

"I just wanted to thank you for staying your uncle's hand. I didn't have the chance earlier at the tavern to thank you. I am sorry for how they acted, it was rude, and I chastised them after you left."

She looked quizzically at him. _What the hell? He is like obsessed with me. Why can't he just leave me alone like everyone else?_ "I don't need your sympathy." She turned to stare at the fire again, ignoring him.

"Sympathy?" He asked confused. As he looked at her, he changed the subject, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." _Just leave me alone!_ "I am just fine."

"I am no fool, I can sense that something is bothering…" he was cut off.

"Why are you obsessed with me? Just leave me alone! I don't need you prying into my life, I am fine!" She was standing in front of him and yelling. When she finished, she ran off into the darkness avoiding everyone she encountered. Eragon could not believe how she could be so mean after she had saved him from her uncle's wrath. He knew something was wrong, and he would let no one tell him otherwise.

Nadlyn ran to the river where she kneeled down and cried in the snow. She hated herself for pushing Eragon away, she cried for the beating she would surely receive later, and she cried for her pitiful existence. When no more tears could be shed, she slowly walked back to the bonfire, but stayed hidden in the trees. In the distance, she heard Brom, the village story teller, recite about the Dragon Riders. She saw Eragon still sitting where she left him listening intently to the tale. She looked through the crowd and envied how united they were sitting there, but she was an outcast and had to listen to the story among the shadow of trees.

Brom ended his tale, the people clapped and cheered. She just stood there silently and when the campfire was abandoned, she made her way home. Like she predicted, she received a beating for defending Eragon. She also was beaten because her uncle saw her talking to Eragon at the bonfire.

Eragon thought about what had happened that day and instead of going straight to Horsts house, he went to find Brom.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The old man grudgingly opened the door and stared down at Eragon. "What do you want boy?"Brom growled. He was tired and just wanted to relax in peace before heading to bed.

"I am sorry to bother you, but I want to talk to you about something." Despite everything, Brom rolled his eyes and let the young boy enter his home.

"I will make some tea." Said Brom as Eragon took a seat near the fireplace. "Now, what is on your mind? I can see that something is troubling you. I hope this isn't about the story I told earlier." Brom took a sip of his tea, and after, took out his pipe and lit it.

Eragon shook his head and said, "No, it's not about that." He took a moment to organize his thoughts. "Brom, what is your opinion of Nadlyn?"

The boys question caught him a little off guard. "Nadlyn?"

"Please, be honest." Eragon grabbed his cup of tea to keep his nervous hands occupied.

"Let's see. She is a very peculiar girl, indeed, but that is only coming from a few short observations."

Eragon was satisfied with the man's answer. "Do you think she really hates everyone in Carvahall?"

"Where are you trying to get at, Eragon?"

"Just answer the question."

"Very well. No, I don't think she hates everyone; I actually think that a lot of her anger towards the villagers is concealing her true feelings."

"So you agree that she is hiding something?"

"Aye." Brom took another drink. "I think she envies us. Living with Zador must be unpleasant, and I have a feeling that she just wants to be free to live her own life. She never seems very happy, does she?"

"No, she doesn't, which confuses me. I mean I understand if she doesn't like all of the villagers, some of the people living here are not very nice, but what about those who are nice to her? I noticed that she seemed to hate them more than the ones who are cruel to her."

Brom suddenly began to laugh, startling and even upsetting Eragon. "This is about Nadlyn yelling at you at the bonfire, isn't it?" When Eragon remained silent, fuming, Brom started talking again. "Calm down Eragon, I mean no offense." Eragon rolled his eyes. "She's just scared. You really can't blame her for that. I mean here is a girl living in luxury with an Uncle who has a fearsome reputation. They are constantly moving from town to town as the King sees fit allowing her little time to make any friends, or more," Brom paused for a moment and looked at Eragon with a sly look in his eye.

"I know what you saying, and in part, I think it might be true, but I feel like there is more to it than just that. Earlier today I accidentally ran into her, knocking her to ground. She looked irritated with me, so how come when I stood up to her Uncle, who accused me of trying to flirt with her and raised his arm to hit me, she stayed his hand? Then, I saw her in Morns Tavern. She was trying to leave unnoticed, but a man called out her name and humiliated her in front of everyone. I felt bad for her Brom, she never did anything wrong, so I told them to knock it off. Roran was there and even he thought I was crazy. At the bonfire I only thanked her for stopping her Uncle and I apologized for what happened in the bar, and all she did was yell at me." Reciting the tale made him depressed. He finally took a drink of the warm tea which helped him calm down. "I don't think that she is really scared of forming friendships, I think that her Uncle is preventing her from having friends."

"Eragon what are you saying?"

Eragon took a deep breath. "I am saying that she is afraid of her Uncle. If he almost struck me in public because of an accident, I have to wonder how he acts in the privacy of his home with Nadlyn."

"You think she is abused?"

"At this point I don't think, I am almost certain of it. There was another incident that supports my inclination. The day Zador cataloged Carvahall I saw Nadlyn. She was heading out, but before her Uncle let her leave, he grabbed her arm and whispered something to her. I didn't really pay much attention to it then, but looking back, I believe it to be evidence that he abuses her."

"Look Eragon, she is a beautiful young woman and it only sounds as if her Uncle is very protective of her…"

"No!" Eragon stoop up, frustrated. "You don't get it." He wanted to tell Brom something else, but held his tongue to say, "Just forget it. You don't understand either." He slammed the cup down on the table and began to walk away.

"Eragon, stop!" Brom was still sitting in his chair. "It's clear that you feel very strongly about this."

"I do." Eragon said without facing Brom. "I thought you were different than the others, but your not." He suppressed a tear, and left the small house, Brom still yelling after him to stay. The cold night air felt good on his hot skin as he walked towards Horsts. Avoiding everyone, he went into his room and shut the door. Within an hour he fell into a fitful sleep where he dreamed about Zador beating Nadlyn.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Months have passed since the incident at the bonfire. Spring was in full bloom, but rumors of foul creatures roaming Alagaesia did not put the village of Carvahall at ease. Saphira had hatched and was hidden near the Spine where Eragon visited with her every day. The few times Eragon was in the village, he did not see very much of Nadlyn, and if he did, she avoided him. One time Roran noticed and told him to just forget about her. "She is out of your league," he had said. He loved his cousin like a brother, but at times, Roran really got under his skin. When Roran left for Therinsford, Eragon had never felt so alone in his entire life. Sure, he had Saphira, but he still felt a part of him missing.

It was a warm and sunny day when Nadlyn was in her room writing on a piece of parchment. Lately, she felt the inspiration to voice her thoughts onto paper hoping that somehow it would ease some of her pain. It never did, but still she continued to write. She was sitting on her bed and almost finished a paragraph when she heard her name being called.

"Coming Uncle!" she yelled, putting down her quill, annoyed. She rushed downstairs and found her uncle in the main entrance. "What is it?" With one quick glance, she could easily tell that the man was drunk.

"Oh there you are, you little brat. I have some news for you, news that I hope you find to your liking." Even from a distance, she could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"What news is that?" She asked, sarcastically. She did not feel very well and just wanted to be left alone.

"I have found you a suitor. His name is Damien and he will be here to meet you in a few days."

"No! Uncle, I do not wish to be married this soon. I am still so young yet." Indeed she was young being only 16, but apparently it was old enough to be married off, and to a man she did not know.

"Don't talk back to me! You will meet him and you will like him!" He growled, slurring his words together.

Nadlyn rolled her eyes. "Never in a million years will I ever like this boy. What is he a duke?"

"But of course…"

"Yeah, I hate the guy already." She folded her arms and leaned against the stairwell.

"Look here," he began to approach Nadlyn. "You had better start behaving, or else I will tell the King of your impertinence!" She faked a yawn at his retort. "You look at me when I am talking to you!" He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her violently. After, he threw her down upon the marble stairs.

Pained seared through her, like usual, but another sensation overtook her. She scrambled to her feet and started to run, her uncle following after her. Before she made it to the top, her uncle grabbed hold of her foot and pulled her down. "Where do you think you are going, bitch?" Nadlyn, tried to shake him off, but he was too strong. Crack! Zador had managed to twist her ankle.

Nadlyn screamed at the immense pain, tears streaming down her cheeks like a waterfall. With her good foot, she kicked her uncle in the face, allowing her enough time to crawl away from him. He held his bloody nose, rage behind his eyes. This time, she knew that she had pushed him to his limit. Using the railing to help herself up, she limped to her room and grabbed her dagger. Behind her, Zador entered her room.

"What are you planning on doing with that?" he pointed to her weapon.

"Kill myself." She whimpered, as she placed the tip on her chest. Before she plunged it through her heart, Zador grabbed her arm. "Why?" she screamed, as he dragged her out of her room. At the stairwell again, she managed to wriggle free of his grip and cut her uncle on his shoulder. In retaliation, Zador struck her so hard that she lost her balance and fell down the stairs.

With a groan, Nadlyn tried to get up. Her head spun around in circles as her entire body ached. She still had her dagger nearby and grabbed it by the hilt when she heard footsteps behind her. "You look so pathetic right now." He kicked her in the side, and she stabbed through his boot.

Zador cried out and grasped his wounded toes. "You will pay for this!" Nadlyn was on her feet again and was trying to get to the door. "Oh not you don't!" He raced towards her, and she spun around.

Zador clutched his stomach where the dagger penetrated him. His blood gushed out leaving a pool at his feet. He fell to his knees as Nadlyn watched in horror. She did not mean for this to happen; now she would be called a murderer and hanged. She did not fear death, which was not her problem; her problem is that she did not want to die a criminal. Yet it was too late, the deed was done. She watched at her uncle keeled over and drew his last before she left through the back door, leaving the dagger behind.

She fled to the woods to try to clear her head. Very soon, the village would learn of her uncle's death and come looking for her. She tripped a few times, but despite her wounded ankle, she pressed on. Before she knew it, she came across the river where she had once spotted a deer. She sat down on the log and wept into her hands. She did not think that she was there for very long, but it was an hour before she heard shouts in the distance. _They are coming for me, and when they find me, I will be hanged._

She gazed at the flowing river, and as she stared, she began to form an idea. She remembered that not too far off was a cliff, and below the cliff was where the river ran the deepest. Immediately, she sprang back to life and carefully made her way to the cliff. She looked down and saw that it was higher than she remembered. Even so, she had made up her mind. She took a deep breath and was about to jump when she heard a familiar voice telling her to stop.

Nadlyn cursed and turned around where she noticed Eragon approaching. "Please, don't jump!"

"Eragon, I'm sorry. There is no other way."

Eragon's heart pounded as he tried to think of a way to talk Nadlyn out of committing suicide. "Yes, there is. Just talk to the village and explain to them what really happened?"

"What are you talking about? What really happened is that I murdered my uncle, and for that I will be hanged. I do not want that." She started to turn back towards the cliff.

"Nadlyn, please. I know the truth; I know you were abused." She turned to face him yet again, tears in her eyes.

"Then you would be the only one who would know my secret. Goodbye, Eragon." Without hesitation, she turned back around and leaped off the cliff.

Eragon screamed in horror, falling to his knees. Then, he heard the distant splash that would change their lives forever.


	6. Chapter 6

Waves of Mercy Chapter 6

Eragon was still kneeling on the ground, his tears crusted upon his face. Down below, the water resumed its normal trickling, with a few splashes here or there. He had no clue how to feel at that moment; he had just witnessed Nadlyn committing suicide, and there was nothing he could do to turn back time and stop her. He was just numb and scared from the scene, but he also felt a pang of guilt; guilt that he had never told her before that he figured out her secret. He thought that if she had known sooner, maybe she would have talked with him.

It was a stick breaking that alerted him back to his surroundings. He slowly got up from his knees and turned to see a deer, the same deer that Nadlyn had seen, though Eragon did not know that. The creature stared at him for a few moments before darting back into the woods. With a heavy sigh, Eragon began to hike on back to the village where he had to tell them the news about Nadlyn.

The entire village was in frenzy when he arrived. The mansion was the nesting ground for the majority, while others searched high and low for the fugitive. Some villagers were absent as they were looking in the woods for her. With such chaos, Eragon was unsure how to explain the news until he spotted Brom. He ran up to the old man, who looked unperturbed, and started to blurt out what he had seen. He spoke so fast that he was certain Brom would make him repeat himself, but that was not the case as the old man's eyes widened with shock.

"And you say you saw her go over the cliff?"

"Aye." Tears wanted to spill, but he held them back. "Can you tell the rest of the village? I don't think I can explain it again. I feel sick." Indeed he did as the taste of bile presented itself on his tongue.

Brom nodded. "Go, you have been through a lot. Get some rest." Eragon began to walk away. "Oh, and Eragon." The boy halted and turned towards Brom. "Don't blame yourself. It is not your fault."

Eragon remained silent, disagreeing with Brom. When he was out of sight of the village, he took off running into the woods, this time to talk to Saphira. He found the magnificent dragon perched on a large rock. Before he could voice his thoughts, she began, "What is troubling you, Little One? I sense a deep sadness within you."

Alone with Saphira Eragon knew that he could completely be himself. He let his tears fall to soil the ground. Sitting next to Saphira, he recounted the events of the day. When he finished, she let out a mournful cry. "I am so sorry, Eragon. I know she meant something to you, and I will do my best to comfort you."

"I know you will." He hugged her. "Brom said that it was not my fault, but I cannot help but feel guilty. I could have done more."

Saphira nuzzled her rider. "Time can heal all wounds. Who knows what the future will bring. In the meantime, try to stay strong, Little One."

Eragon wiped his eyes. "Easier said, than done." He sighed. He stayed with his dragon for quite some time before he began his journey home. Taking a detour, he felt compelled to walk along the river. The ice blue, cold water sent chills down his spine. He could not even fathom what it would be like to hit the water from a great height. His memory of Nadlyn jumping ran through his mind, and he shuddered. He almost decided to leave the riverbank, but his compulsion to keep his course was stronger.

A flash of movement ran through his line of vision, startling him. Looking around, he saw nothing, so he resumed his walking. Again, he saw movement. Once more, he turned to look. The deer stood between two oak trees and held an air of dignity and pride as if he was the prince of the forest. Eragon was relieved that it was only the deer instead of someone from the village. After acknowledging the animal, he focused his attention back to the river. He took a step, and so did the deer. Glancing back at the creature, Eragon became puzzled. When he did not take another step, the deer trotted close to him and when the deer was in front of Eragon, he paused, looked at the human, then looked forward and walked away.

Eragon then realized that the deer wanted him to follow behind, and so he did. It was not long before Eragon noticed an oddly shaped heap along the riverbank. As they neared the mysterious object, he realized that it was Nadlyn's body! His heart pounded as he raced towards the pitiful shell of a human being. Her skin was pale and chilled to the bone. He did not see her chest heave up in down nor any other vital signs that life still remained in the watery corpse. Still, he knew that eyes were deceiving, so he grabbed her arm and placed two of his fingers on her wrist and gently pressed down.

_Thud._ The vibration caught him off guard. _Thud…thud…thud._ Eragon could not believe what he was feeling: a pulse! He looked at her face as joy raced through his veins. As he stared at her, he began to think about what he should do. He knew that if he told the village she had survived, it would be a straight ticket to the noose for her. Then, he thought of another idea. He scooped up Nadlyn and carried her back to his farm.


	7. Chapter 7

Waves of Mercy Chapter 7

Eragon placed Nadlyn on his bed and covered her with extra blankets to keep her as warm as possible. Behind him, he heard his uncle approach. "Eragon, have you gone mad? She can't stay here!"

"Shh!" He gestured his uncle into the hallway and closed the door behind them. "She's alive, but barely. What was I supposed to do?"

"Eragon, she is wanted for murder! I won't have a fugitive staying under my roof."

In all his years, he had never seen his uncle so upset. Eragon took a deep breath to keep his nerve. "You don't understand; she never meant to kill him. He abused her, and she was only defending herself."

Garrow cocked his head; it was apparent that he did not hear that side of the story. "Even if that is true, she is still a wanted criminal and if she is found here, we will be hanged right alongside her."

"It's a risk, I know, but it is a risk I am willing to take."

"Why? Does the life of your family mean so little to you, and what about your life? I do not think you understand the consequences."

"Uncle, I do understand. It was you who taught me to always do the right thing, and helping Nadlyn is the right thing to do."

"No, the right thing to do is to turn her in, not harbor her."

Eragon shook his head. "I will not do that, uncle, and neither will you. We have to help her. If we let her die, then we will be murderers as well."

Garrow sighed, unable to argue with him on that point. "Fine, she can stay, but we must be very careful. The king is sending some soldiers here to investigate."

Eragon nodded. "Thank you."

"Now, how badly wounded is she?" Eragon allowed him to enter his room to examine Nadlyn. She was still damp and Garrow had him find some clean, dry clothes for her to wear. Eragon left while his uncle changed her to boil some water. When the water was boiling, he added in some vegetables and noodles as well as some herbs. His uncle returned while he was setting the table.

"What's the diagnosis? Is she going to be all right?"

"She is still chilled to the bone, but with some warmth and rest, she should make a quick recovery. I noticed all the bruises and cuts on her body, you are right, she has been abused. I do not condone what she did to her uncle, but I cannot blame her either."

"Good, I am glad to hear that. In the meantime, dinner will be ready soon."

It was a couple of hours after dinner when Nadlyn began to stir. Eragon was sitting in a chair sewing up the holes in Nadlyn's dress, but he put it down when he saw her move. He got up and sat down on the edge of the bed before she started to open her eyes. Slowly, her brown eyes opened and stared up at his. It took her a few moments to recognize him, and once she did, her gaze hardened. "Don't tell me you jumped in after me?" she croaked, her throat sore and raspy.

"Not quite." He smiled, happy that she was finally awake. "I found you on the river bank and brought you to my farm. You will be safe here."

The realization that she was still alive hit her like a ton of bricks. "No! I don't want to be here, I should be dead." Tears began to soak the pillow her head was resting upon. "Why?" she asked, blinking away her tears.

"I am not your uncle. Everyone in the village thinks that you are dead; only my uncle and I know you are alive." That was not entirely true, Saphira knew as well, but he could not tell her that.

"Then they will search for my body, and when they do not find it, they will question you once more, asking what happened to me."

"The river is perilous, when they do not find your body, I can easily lie."

"Lying is never easy; I am sure that at least one person in the village can see right through your lie. You cannot harbor me, Eragon. They will kill you if they find out."

"I am going to tell you the same thing I told my uncle: I have to help you because if I didn't and you died, then I would be a murderer too. I would rather die from harboring a criminal than to live the rest of my life knowing that I could have saved you."

"Right now I lack the strength to run away, but once I am better, do not expect me to stay. I do not belong here; I don't belong anywhere. I have no purpose in my life, and I will not hamper you any longer than I have to."

Her words pained him, but he decided not to dwell on the subject. "You must be starving; can I get you something to eat? We have leftover soup from dinner."

"Do I even have a choice? If I told you I wasn't hungry, you would still bring me food insisting that I should eat, and if I said I was hungry you might get the incentive that I want to live, when I still wish to be dead. While I am a guest in your home, you will make sure that I get better, against my will, and since I am too weak to do anything about it, I have no choice but to comply."

"Must you always give me a hard time?"

"If you had just let me die, you wouldn't have to sit here and listen to me give you a hard time. You brought that upon yourself. What did you think; that after you brought me to your home and nursed me back to health that I could forget about my past and move on? Eragon, you can't be my hero; I have no hero."

"Nadlyn, are you hungry, or not?"

"Yes, I am."

"All right." He got up and left his room returning with the soup. He helped her sit up and handed her the bowl. "It is very hot, so be careful." After, he headed back to the chair in the corner to resume his sewing from earlier.

"Is that my dress?" Nadlyn asked after eating a few bites of the soup. Up until that point, she failed to realize that she was wearing men's clothing.

"Aye. I am mending it for you."

"Who changed my clothes?" She eyed him suspiciously.

"Well, well, well, are you suddenly concerned about your body? For someone who wants to cease living, you seem quite alarmed, and it was my uncle Garrow who changed you."

"Hmm. Just so you know, it wasn't my body I was concerned about, I was just wondering if you were the kind of man that easily contradicts himself."

Eragon chuckled. "If I did change you, I still would not have been compromising my intentions. You were still wet when I found you, so we had to get you into dry clothes, otherwise you could have gotten even sicker."

Nadlyn felt her cheeks burn taking her by surprise. To conceal her embarrassment, she focused on eating her soup. When the bowl was empty, she looked back at Eragon. "Are you going to be in here all night with me?"

"Huh?" Eragon took a second to process what she had said. "Oh! No, um, Garrow wanted someone to be in here in case you awoke. Being your first night here, he wanted to make sure you knew where you were at and if you were going to be ok before I went to bed. Are you done?" he pointed at the bowl in her hand.

"Yes." He placed the garment aside once more and grabbed the bowl. At that moment, Nadlyn noticed the mark on his hand. "Wait!" She yelled, as loud as she could with her sore throat. Eragon turned around.

"What is it?" He asked, confused.

"Show me your right palm."

Eragon's heart sank, but he still raised up his hand. _No use lying to her._

Seeing the mark clearly on his hand caused a surge of emotions to course through her. "You're a Rider!"

Eragon rolled his eyes. "No, not exactly. Saphira is still quite young."

"Saphira? Who else knows about her?"

"No one, except you."

"You never told your family?"

"I wanted to, but I never knew how to tell them."

"You should, a secret like that is dangerous."

"More dangerous than harboring a criminal?"

"Eragon, you really are much more than you seem, aren't you?"

"Yes, and so are you." He left the bedroom taking the bowl to the sink and then lied down on the bed in Roran's old room where he eventually fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Waves of Mercy Chapter 8

The lowing of cows awoke Nadlyn. Living in luxury all her life, she was unaccustomed to the life on a farm as well as all the noises that went along with it. The sun had not even risen yet, but she heard Garrow exit the house to milk the cows. Unable to fall back asleep, she just stared up at the ceiling, thinking to herself. During the night, she had strange dreams about her uncle and Eragon. She could not believe that he was a Dragon Rider. _How could that have happened? Last I heard, Galbatorix had the last few dragon eggs. _ Her thoughts reeled around in her mind until a loud rumble erupted from her stomach. She tried to ignore her hunger, but eventually, she gave in.

Her muscles burned as she moved her body to the edge of the bed to sit up. The floor was cold under her warm toes, but she stood up anyways. The pressure on her left ankle was too great as a sharp pain ignited from her wounded ankle sending her crashing to the floor. Rolling around, she clutched her ankle, tears in her eyes.

The bedroom door opened. "Nadlyn, are you ok?" Eragon was holding a candle to see through the darkness and noticed her on the ground, wailing. He set the candle on a dresser and knelt down. "What happened?"

"My ankle, I think it is sprained."

"Did you just twist it?" He placed his hand gently on her shoulder to stop her from rolling around. "Let me take a look at it."

"No, it was already hurt from before, I just forgot until now." She scooted towards the dresser to rest against while Eragon examined her ankle. He noticed the deep purple and brown bruising around the joint as well as the swelling. He placed a little pressure on the ankle to feel the bones, making Nadlyn wince in pain. "That really hurts."

"Sorry." He placed her foot on the floor, carefully. "I am pretty sure you sprained it, but I can have my uncle take a look at it as well. He would know for sure."

Nadlyn nodded. "Ok." The silence that followed was quite awkward. She wanted to say thank you to him, but held her tongue. It made her angry that even after she is freed from her uncle she was still unable to express her true feelings. Eragon was unlike any other person; he actually cared about her. Such tender devotion was so alien to her that it frightened her, and she would have run away if it weren't for her wounded ankle.

"You know, I think we have crutches." He stood up, "I'll be right back." Eragon was only gone for about a minute or two before he came back with old, dusty, wooden crutches. "I can clean them off and you can use them."

"That is going to help so much." Again, she refused to say her thanks out loud. Eragon nodded and helped Nadlyn up off the ground. She supported herself from the dresser while Eragon took a rag to clean off the crutches and made a few adjustments before handing them to her. Once she had them tightly under her arms, she was able to trek across the room and into the hallway.

Eragon laughed, "Running away already?"

"Yes, I really have to go to the bathroom."

"Of course. It is just at the end of the hall and to the right."

Eragon was in the kitchen making breakfast when she came back out. The wooden crutches allowed him to know exactly where she was as they thudded on the floor. At the table she eased herself into a chair and set the crutches on the floor next to her. "What's for breakfast?" Her stomach growled again.

Eragon stared at her. "Last night you gave me a lecture about food and now you are asking about breakfast?"

"I figured starving to death is not a very fun way to die."

"Oh, and jumping off a cliff was fun?"

She shook her head up and down. "Yes, it was quite exhilarating and refreshing once I hit the water." She was being sarcastic, but the thought still sent chills down her spine.

"You didn't have to jump." Eragon placed some bread and cheese on the table and sat down across from her, handing her a plate in the process. "I would have hidden you here."

"I know you would have, but I didn't, and I still don't, want you involved in my affairs."

"Why not?"

"Because, it's my life, my problems. Sure, my way of solving them is unorthodox, but I really could not see any other way out of it," she held up her hand to stop Eragon from cutting in, "that did not involve others. You are the only one who wanted to help me, and in doing so, you did add to my collection of bruises. I was afraid, that's why."

"Do you really want to run away once you are better?"

She could tell that it really bothered him. "I don't know, maybe. I don't see how I can stay here with the village only 10 miles away. In time, someone else will know that I am here, and I don't want you or your family punished because of me."

"Well, there is still time to ponder the issue. Right now, let us just enjoy some breakfast." He broke the bread in half and handed her a piece.

As much as she tried to hold back, she still ended up uttering thank you for the first time to Eragon.


	9. Chapter 9

Waves of Mercy Chapter 9

Ten days have passed since Eragon had brought Nadlyn into his home. Nearly every day she would wake up when the cows began to low, eat breakfast with Eragon, and then she would go take a nap, watch Eragon and Garrow perform their chores from the window or from the porch, eat dinner with them, and then hang out with Eragon in the evening. Her wounds began to heal up quite nicely during that time, especially her ankle. She was now able to walk without crutches allowing her more freedom to roam around the farm.

She had planned to stay for the rest of the week, and then leave. She had no guarantees for Eragon that after she left she would try to take her life again. With no knowledge of the world beyond the farm, she did not know if the villagers believed that she was dead, or if they were trying to still look for her. Neither Eragon nor Garrow made a trip into town to find out, afraid that they might give it away that she was staying with them.

As usual, Nadlyn was eating breakfast with Eragon. It was her first full day without crutches, so she was in a very good mood, compared to her disposition from the past few days. Eragon was sitting across from her, eating some porridge and thinking about his last conversation with Saphira. "Would you like to meet Saphira?" He said, looking across the table at Nadlyn.

Nadlyn looked up from her bowl and gave him a confused look. "You want me to meet Saphira?"

"Yes, I have told her a lot about you, and she is anxious to meet you."

She was unsure how to respond to that. "I don't know." She started to shake her head nervously.

"I am offering you to meet a dragon, and all you say is 'I don't know.' You are always so full of surprises."

"All right, I will come with you to meet her" She grumbled, going back to eating her breakfast.

Eragon smiled and finished his breakfast. Taking their bowls to the sink, "I will come and get you when I am done with my chores, so be ready." He left the house to help his uncle.

The sun was shining melting the snow around them. Eragon and Nadlyn successfully evaded Garrow and snuck off towards the woods where Eragon was hiding Saphira. Along the way, he kept reassuring Nadlyn that the dragon was friendly and would not try to frighten her. The trees gave way to a large clearing where a large blue dragon was lying in the sun, her scales sparkling.

Nadlyn gasped both at the dragon's beauty and her size. "She is more magnificent than I had imagined." The dragon hummed deep in her throat at the compliment.

Eragon walked next to the dragon, "Saphira, this is Nadlyn. Nadlyn, this is Saphira, my dragon." Saphira bowed her head and looked over the young woman.

_So this is the woman that has been plaguing your thoughts. _She said this to Eragon only. _She is lovely._ It heartened him to know that Saphira liked her already. She then had Eragon tell Nadlyn that she is pleased to meet her.

Nadlyn carefully walked up to the dragon, and with some encouragement from Eragon, placed a hand on her scales. For the next hour, they sat in the clearing talking. Nadlyn listened while Eragon explained how he found Saphira's egg in the Spine and how he thought it was a stone. It was a story that she had already heard before, but it was nice to hear it with Saphira nearby, who added in her experiences about having to hide in secret and how she has adjusted to living in the clearing. Nadlyn had always known that dragon's were smart creatures, but sitting with Saphira and watching Eragon relay her thoughts, she was blown away.

Unfortunately, it was almost time for them to be heading back to Garrow. Nadlyn stood up, brushing the dirt off her dress. It was the same dress that Eragon had fixed for her. Eragon stood up as well, but before they left, Saphira had him relay one last question. "Nadlyn, wait, Saphira wants to know if," he paused and looked at the dragon with uncertainty. Saphira nodded and nudged him to continue. "She wants to know if meeting her has changed your mind about leaving."

Nadlyn looked at the dragon and said, "It was an honor to meet you, but no. I still have plans to leave in a few days."

Saphira sensed the pain that Eragon felt and commented on it. _You really like her, don't you?_

He ignored his dragon and said to Nadlyn, "Is there anything I can do, or say, that will make you change your mind?"

Nadlyn began to feel her heart race, but she kept her voice steady. "I am afraid not. Understand that I am leaving because I do not want your family endangered by me." She pointed at Saphira, "You have a dragon, and if the King found out, he will come after you. Already you are in a precarious situation, and I do not want to add to that. If anyone from the village learned that I was here, you would draw attention and they might even discover Saphira."

Eragon knew she was right, but he still wanted her to stay. Saphira felt sorry for her Rider, but did not know how to comfort him except to tell him that he had a few more days to try to persuade her. In an awkward silence, they left the clearing heading back to the farm.

Eragon tried to change her mind, but Nadlyn did not budge. It was now the morning of the day that Nadlyn was leaving. She had a pack on her back filled with food, clothes, and other necessities that she would need for her journey. They were outside by the door saying their goodbye's. She thanked Garrow for letting her stay before addressing Eragon. "You saved my life Eragon, and I am repaying that debt by leaving. Please try to understand that."

"Where will you go?" It scared him that she was going off into the wilderness alone, and with no real plan.

"I don't know yet. Probably find a small village where no one recognizes me, and settle down."

"What if someone recognizes you?" He did his best to suppress his emotions, but tears were brimming around his eyes.

"Then, so be it." Then in a softer tone, she said, "Goodbye, Eragon."

Eragon released his tears as she walked away. Garrow sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder, but he brushed it off. He headed inside and locked himself in his room until he could cry no more. That evening, Garrow mentioned that he needed something from town. Eragon volunteered to get it in the morning saying that he needed to get away from the farm for a couple of hours. Garrow nodded and told him to be careful, then began to get ready for bed.


	10. Chapter 10

Waves of Mercy Chapter 10

Nadlyn did not travel very far that first day. In fact, once she made it to the path, she immediately got off and hid herself in the woods. She was so confused with her feelings and was unable to leave Carvahall. So, she made camp there and spent the day think about what she wanted in life and ended up realizing that she wanted to spend it with Eragon. By that time, it was evening, so she spent the night in the woods, deciding to head back to the farm the next day.

When the sun arose the following morning, Nadlyn got up and began walking back to the farm. Along the way, she came across a band of Ra'zac. Hiding among the trees, with her heart pounding, she watched as they were heading towards the farm themselves. Fear gripped her as she thought about Eragon and Saphira being attacked by the big brutes. As quietly as possible, she walked away from the group and ran as fast as she could to the farm.

Unfortunately, she was too slow for the creatures were already there by the time the farm came into view. She crept from the trees and into the open. She ran to the barn and went inside through the back door. Finding no one, she ran to the front door, and opening it slightly, peeked out. She saw the Ra'zac enter the house. When they were inside, she left the barn and crept up to the house and peered in through a window. She was the creatures talk to Garrow, and then, attacked him after they did not like what he said.

Nadlyn watched in horror as Garrow fell to the ground and began rummaging around the house, damaging anything that got in their way. She was unsure if the man was dead or just unconscious. When they found nothing of interest, they started to make their way outside. Faced with no other option, Nadlyn ran back into the barn to hide. She heard the Ra'zac approach and knew that if she was found, she would fare no better than Eragon's uncle.

Before they entered the building, she climbed up onto the loft without using a ladder and lied down against the wall hoping that no one would see her or decided to look up there. She held her breath when the door creaked open. "Letsss check in here and see if anyone isss hiding." The voice sent chills down her spine. She hid up there for what felt like hours before she heard them departing. "Come on, no one isss in here, ssstop wasssting time."

She still did not move until she heard a loud swoosh and a thud outside the barn. Carefully jumping down from the loft, she heard Eragon curse and run towards his house. Nadlyn exited the barn as saw Saphira, but ignored the dragon as she made her way towards the house as well. The door was torn off its hinges, so she was able to walk inside without making any noise.

She saw Eragon weeping as he held his uncle in his arms. Tears began to fall down her cheeks as she realized that the man was dead. Eragon's head whirled around when he heard someone behind him. When he saw Nadlyn, his jaw dropped. "Nadlyn, what are you doing here?"

Through blurred vision, she looked at him. "Eragon, I'm so sorry." She ran into his arms when he stood up.

In that moment Eragon experienced deep sadness and happiness at the same time; he was upset about his uncle, but was happy that Nadlyn had come back and was all right. "Why did you come back?"

"I realized that a life without you is no life at all." Nadlyn said, her head resting on his chest.

Eragon sighed and said, "Well, now my home was destroyed and my Uncle is dead, so what life can I give you now?"

Nadlyn brushed his hair out of his eyes and said, "Whatever you choose to do, I will be right there beside you."

Holding her and hearing those words brought him comfort, and he felt that as long as he had her support, he could do anything. "Then let us pursue the ones that killed my uncle and strike them down."

Nadlyn understood his lust for revenge, but knew that there was no way he could defeat them without proper training. "Eragon, the Ra'zac is trained to kill, and they were looking for Saphira's egg. If they learn that she has hatched for you, they will bring you to the King."

Eragon pondered her words then said, "What other choice do I have? I cannot stay here, and I cannot just aimlessly live in the wild. Pursuing the Ra'zac gives me something to do."

While they were talking, they did not notice Brom walk in. "Eragon it is not safe here!"

Eragon placed himself in front of Nadlyn at the sound of the voice. When he saw that it was only Brom, he relaxed. Brom was surprised to see Nadlyn, but made no comment about it. "Come with me, I brought horses."

Eragon wanted to question the old man's intentions, but ended up doing what he was told. When they were all on horseback, Brom took the lead and led them away from the farm, Saphira flying high above them.


	11. Chapter 11: The Final Chapter

**The Final Chapter**

They camped miles away from Carvahall in the woods. Saphira was off hunting and Eragon and Nadlyn were busy watching Brom. He made a fire from the driest sticks and branches he could find to reduce the amount of smoke. Once the fire was lit, he took out a small pot, filled it with water from a nearby stream, added a few chunks of meat, and placed it over the fire. He then took out his pipe and sat back against a tree. "So, you have been harboring Nadlyn the whole time? That was very dangerous, and you even made up such an unpleasant story too."

"It wasn't a story; it was the truth at that point in time." Nadlyn said, speaking for Eragon. "I did try to kill myself, but later that day, he found me washed up on shore. He took me to his farm and took care of me until I was better. The other day, I left the farm, but I came back, though not in time to save Garrow. You see, when I was in the woods, I saw the Ra'zac heading towards the farm, but I could not get there before them." She hung her head low.

Brom stared gently at the girl, "If you had gotten there before the Ra'zac, they would have killed you too. The Ra'zac are fast creatures, even if you were able to outrun them, they would have still gotten there before you could escape with Garrow."

Whether Brom was right or not, it did not matter. Eragon's uncle was dead, and nothing can ever change that. Garrow will only live in their memories and in their heart. "So, we will pursue the Ra'zac to avenge my uncle's death." Eragon said, poking the fire with a stick.

"If that is what you want to do, then that is what we will do." A puff of smoke swirled above the old man's head.

"Brom, when I said we, I meant Nadlyn and I. What are you doing here anyways?"

Brom took the pipe out of his mouth and said, "You would be wise to take me with you. There is much that I can teach you, if you permit me. I have been around a lot longer than you, and I really am a lot more than you think I am as well."Eragon did not want to argue with the man, so he sighed and said that he could travel with them.

Nadlyn traveled with Eragon, Saphira, and Brom across Alagaesia. What started out as a pursuit to hunt down the Ra'zac ended up becoming the flight for their very lives. For the longest time, they were tracking down the creatures, but, eventually, they were the ones who became the hunted. When word began to spread about Eragon and Saphira, the King sent his minions to capture them.

Her relationship with Eragon was kept casual. She loved to be with him, but she still had trouble becoming too intimate with him. She was still in the process of recovering from her past abuse, and could not allow herself to fully open up and succumb to Eragon. Life on the road made it easier for them to refrain from becoming very intimate anyways. They traveled during the day, and in the evenings Eragon sparred or practiced magic, ate dinner, and went to sleep.

During their travels, Nadlyn was able to meet some very interesting people such as Joed and Angela the Herbalist. She also met a man named Murtagh who rescued them from some Urgals. Eragon allowed Murtagh to travel with them, and in time, they became friends. As for Nadlyn, she did not fully trust Murtagh. On the surface, he seemed a decent man, but something in her gut still flagged him as dangerous. She mentioned this to Eragon, who did agree with her, but at the same time, he trusted Murtagh with his life.

The unfortunate part is that they day they met Murtagh was also the day that Brom was struck with a fatal blow. No matter how Eragon tried, he could not save the old man. The next day, they made a tomb for him out of sandstone, but Saphira somehow turned the stone into diamond. It was truly a very magical moment. Eragon was able to leave Brom knowing that time would not ravage him.

Nadlyn was sitting in the dark, smelly, cold cell. She had been captured along with Eragon by Urgals and taken to Gil'ead as Durza's prisoner. She did not know how long she had been there, but it was long enough to begin to feel discouraged. Durza had discovered who she was, and used her past as a means to possibly dispose of her. He had left her with a dagger, the very dagger that she had used on her uncle. Durza had hoped that she would fall into her old mindset, and take her life.

Hours elapsed, but in a prison cell, hours can feel like days. She heard the door rattle and open, revealing Durza once more. He informed her that Eragon was dead, killed after he tried to escape. He said that Eragon was told that she was dead, and he had gone made with rage. "There is nothing for you on this earth, girl, so you might as well end your pain. You will be given no food, nor water, so you can either die of starvation, or from your own hand." Durza laughed and left her.

The dagger was lying at her feet, within reach. Internally, she was battling with herself. She wanted to believe that the Shade was lying to her and that Eragon was still alive. With no way to confirm the truth from the lies, she had to make her decision purely based on what she believed in. If this had happened to her months ago, she would have found it easy just to take her life, but after being with Eragon, her view of life had changed. Everyone had a purpose in life, whether that purpose is used for good or bad. Nadlyn was never able to appreciate her life when she lived with her uncle because she was always put down and abused. As soon as she was freed from such conditions, she was finally able to discover her purpose in life.

Nadlyn took the blade, and looked at it. This was her final test. If she truly understood her purpose in life, she would put the dagger down, but, if she misunderstood her purpose, or began to doubt what her purpose really is, she would plunge the dagger through her heart.

She placed the tip if the blade on her chest. The temptation to push the dagger into her flesh began to consume her. Her final thought was Eragon, and as she reminisced about her time with him, she found the strength pull the dagger away from her. _What am I doing?_ She dropped the dagger onto the stone floor and pushed it away from her with her foot. The door to her cell creaked open. Nadlyn rolled her eyes expecting to see Durza, but it was Eragon instead.

"Praise the gods, you are alive! Durza said that you were dead. He said that you took your own life. I didn't know what to believe, so I had to find out for myself." He ran towards her, and using magic, released her iron bonds. As the chain hit the ground with a clang, Nadlyn threw herself into Eragon's arms.

"Well, this is sweet. The rider and his lover reunited, but I am afraid, not for very long." Eragon and Nadlyn stood up to face the Shade. "I have underestimated you both, but I will make sure that I will not make that same mistake again."

Nadlyn scoffed. "By stating that you will not underestimate us again, is in fact underestimating us because you are forgetting one of the greatest powers of all."

Durza laughed, "Your love life is of little concern to me. One cannot live off love alone, and love in itself cannot really save you."

"True, but I was not talking about the power of love, I was referring to the power of life. The will to live is more powerful that you will ever understand."

Durza took a step forward. "Interesting, but you are wasting my time. I am going to kill you now, and then I have to report to the King."

"Rephrase, you will try to kill us, but we will retaliate. Even if you physically kill us, you cannot take away the fact that we had lived, and what we stood for while we were alive. We will become martyrs."

Durza was becoming angry, "Shut your mouth girl!" Before he could strike her down, the ceiling above them began to crack. Within moments, Saphira broke through, Murtagh on her back. The dragon dodged a blow from Durza as Eragon and Nadlyn climbed aboard. A lone arrow plunged itself into Durza's forehead causing the Shade to disappear.

That evening, while they made camp, Nadlyn led Eragon away to talk to him. When they were far enough away, she confronted Eragon. "I want to thank you for everything that you have done for me. I know that I gave you a very hard time in the past, and I'm sorry. Sitting in that cell in Gil'ead made me appreciate all that you have done for me.

"You showed me how wonderful life can be, and no matter what ordeal I am going through, as long as I have the will to live, nothing can ever bring me down. I thought death was my escape, but that is not really true. To be free does not come from taking your life, it comes from overcoming your obstacles and moving on. I will never forget what happened to me, but, I can take what happened to me and not let it bother me anymore. You have shown me that, Eragon." She smiled, relieved that she was finally able to tell Eragon how she really felt.

"It comforts me to hear you say those words. I will never forget as well. The moment that I saw you washed up on shore, and alive, I knew that there had been a reason why your life was spared. It is as if the waves had been merciful to you." Eragon said, think back to that day.

"Possibly, but the one who truly saved me, was you. You interrupted the flow of my life like a wave, and I have been changed forever." Nadlyn finished by kissing Eragon for the first time, allowing herself to experience the power of love.

**The End.**


End file.
